


Nightlight

by BlueberryYogurt



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, Young Xehanort - Freeform, Young eraqus - Freeform, eraqus is soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-10-24 23:53:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17714075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueberryYogurt/pseuds/BlueberryYogurt
Summary: Eraqus is afraid of the dark.





	Nightlight

**Author's Note:**

> Hhhhh so Kingdom Hearts 3 huh? That sure was a thing that happened. Slam dunked me with feelings for these two again omg. With a little bit of motivation from the game itself and a discord channel full of dorks who love this ship I was able to actually write this. I'd been meaning to for a while as a sort of follow up to my previous fic on these two, but I ended up waiting until after KH3 came out to do it in case I got any information wrong. Originally this was meant to include a part mentioned in my other dumb fic about Xehanort sharing his dreams with Eraqus, but I couldn't really get that out so this happened instead.
> 
> This thing is like just headcanon central I'm so sorry
> 
> vyfuwihla okay enough rambling I really hope you can enjoy this! I cherish these idiots so much aaa

“Eraqus, why are you afraid of the dark?”

“What? I’m not afraid of the dark!”

But he was. Eraqus had been afraid of the dark for as long as he could remember, long before his Master told the young boy tales of their ventures. Terrifying stories of the darkness and how it seemed to consume all that it touched. Before he had even been granted a keyblade and given the opportunity to fight back against that which he feared, that which had the sole purpose of destroying everything he held most dear. Before he knew that darkness was more than just what blanketed the world once the sun set beyond the horizon. Eraqus had always been afraid of the dark, even now with all the training he had in fighting it, he was still afraid.

Sometimes this fear would bleed into his dreams, and the prince would have nightmares. Some nights they were easy to swallow, terrors so unreal that they only caused the boy to lose a few minutes of sleep as he’d stare at the ceiling of his room, listening quietly to the ticking of his clock until sleep stole him away again.

Other nights, like tonight, were not so kind. He awoke with a startled gasp, sweat causing his bangs to stick to his forehead and his breathing to come out heavy and frantic. The images were still playing through his mind, horrible scenes of darkness swallowing the things he loved. His home, gone. His master, gone. Xehanort…

Eraqus couldn’t sleep alone tonight, not after that. He gives himself a few moments to catch his breath, steady his mind, before leaving the warmth of his bed and the protection of the small light he kept on to keep the shadows at bay. After such a fright the hallways of the place he called home were almost unbearably frightening, tall ceilings and long corridors darkened with the ink of the night. He hated being afraid of the dark.

Eventually, he arrives at his destination, a white door standing before him. The same as any other door in the building, but so much more than just that. He quickly knocks on the door a few times, quietly but with a sense of urgency. The darkness behind him felt like it was closing in, surrounding him, threatening to swallow him up and whisk him away to a realm of endless terrors.

“Xehanort? Are you awake?” Eraqus hated the way his voice shook as he struggled to keep it quiet while also making sure the boy who lay beyond the door could hear him. It was only meant for him to hear. Their Master did not need to know of this meeting.

“Yes.” The voice from beyond the door sounded like music to Eraqus’s ears, chasing off the impending shadows that were just inches away from him. His savior. But it was strange to hear a reply at all, considering how late it was when Eraqus had glanced at his clock upon first waking up. What was his friend still doing awake?

“Can...Can I please come in?”

“Yes.” He hears the word repeated and he couldn’t be more pleased, couldn’t enter the room any faster if his life depended on it. While it was still dark in the room he entered, the presence of someone else was enough to push some of the fear away. His heart, however, did not cease to stop hammering.

There, sitting upon his bed and bathed in the light cast from the outside, was Xehanort. His head was turned away, gazing out into the distant night sky. Was he stargazing again? It wasn’t uncommon for Eraqus to catch his friend doing this during the night, but he had never seen him doing it so late into the evening. When exactly did Xehanort go to bed anyway? Before Eraqus speaks up again he takes a quick look around the room, these late night visits one of the only times he really got to see the other wielder’s living quarters.

Xehanort’s room was always very homely to Eraqus, despite its lack of decoration. Perhaps it was because of the man who lived here, or maybe, more likely, it was because of the few decorations and items Eraqus could spot around the room, little reminders of the home that Xehanort seemed to loathe so much and yet still tell the prince stories of. Tales of his times at the beach where the sand was golden, the skies were clear, and the ocean seemed to go on forever in an endless sea of blue. Stories of his time collecting colorful seashells that, despite the eager consumption of other children who lived on the island, always seemed to be replenished come the following day. The legend of the paopu fruit, meant to bind two souls together no matter what upon sharing the star-shaped fruit. The windowsill Xehanort was currently leaning on held a few of the items he had taken with him, some of those seashells he told Eraqus about present along with a small bottle of sand. Eraqus knew that the seashells were a more recent addition to the room, something he had only learned of recently when Xehanort told him of his late night adventures. Always the rule breaker, but why go back? He never did get a straight answer out of his friend when he had asked. Xehanort was a rather clean person, but it wasn’t hard for Eraqus to know when the rebellious teen would go out on account of the traces of sand he’d leave behind upon returning. The desk where Xehanort would study at had a picture frame on it, the photo inside worn but from what Eraqus had caught sight of one day depicted a family. At night Xehanort would have the frame facing down. Eraqus never asked him why.

“Um...I know this is a bit childish but,” Eraqus finally speaks up again, gently closing the door behind him. “I… I had a nightmare. Could I stay with you tonight?” Grey-blue eyes watch Xehanort for a moment, waiting for his answer. The other wielder doesn’t move for a moment, seeming to savor the last few moments he had to look at the sky before he turned to face Eraqus. He almost felt guilty, but the soft smile that his friend offered him chased away some of those feelings.

“Same position as usual?” There was a hint of humor in Xehanort’s voice, tired and yet not seeming the slightest bit annoyed that he’d be sharing his bed yet again. “You know you don’t have to ask every time, right?” He adds as he moves towards the side of the bed closer to the door.

“I know, but it feels rude if I don’t.” Eraqus carefully makes his way across the room, his voice quiet even with the door closed. What would the Master think if they found out about this? It wasn’t the first time Eraqus had come crawling to Xehanort’s room in the dead of night, too scared to sleep alone. He was supposed to have grown out of being afraid of the dark by now, wasn’t he? He was supposed to be stronger.

With practiced movements the darker haired boy climbs over his friend, situating himself in the space between the wall and the other teen. The bed was not meant for two people, but they made it work. Xehanort lays back down on his side and tugs the blanket over the two of them, eyes already closed before his head even reaches the pillow they’d be sharing for the night. Eraqus recalls the first couple of times they had done this and how awkward it had been having his face so close to his companion’s. Now though, it didn’t feel close enough.

“Xehanort?”

“Hm?”

“Could you open your eyes?”

“That kind of defeats the purpose of going to sleep.” Despite the interruption of his attempt to go to sleep, there was no hint of irritation in Xehanort’s voice. Eraqus was a bit surprised as he had been certain that the request would annoy his friend. But it didn’t, and some of the guilt he had felt eased away.

“I’m aware, but…” He trails off as a small wave of embarrassment washes over him. Almost all the times they had spent doing this before usually involved the two talking to each other for a while. Useless chatter about useless things that would help get Eraqus’s mind off of whatever nightmare had plagued him that night. The teen realized one night, while he was trying to think of something calming to help him fall asleep, that Xehanort’s eyes were what helped chase away the nightmares the most. They were honest. They were never bothered or disinterested, only concerned until he was certain the other could sleep soundly. Xehanort cared about him.

Eraqus couldn’t finish explaining why it was that he had asked Xehanort to open his eyes, as they lay there in quiet darkness together, but he didn’t need to. Xehanort knew him well enough. Silver eyes slip open, staring into the other boy with a calmness in them as they seemed to reflect the light from outside and shine in the darkness of the room. Eraqus could easily stare at them for hours. Xehanort’s eyes had become his nightlight.

“Do you want to talk about it?” The island boy asks, breaking the short trance Eraqus had fallen into. It was strange, but for once the younger teen didn’t mind sitting in silence. Talking wasn’t something he felt was necessary tonight. All he needed was…

“No.” He says after a short moment, smiling as he pulls the blanket a little bit closer. “I just need you to watch over me tonight.” The words had only barely left Eraqus’s mouth when Xehanort burst into a fit of laughter, shocking the other boy and sending heat to his cheeks as he desperately tried to figure out exactly what it was about what he said that warranted such a reaction from Xehanort.

“Breaking into my room and then denying me any sleep? You sure are feeling greedy tonight.” The smile on his face as he speaks, face so close that Eraqus could feel him breathing, makes his heart begin hammering in his chest all over again.

“H-Hey! Don’t forget you’re the one who let me in here!” He says quickly, wishing for a moment that the two weren’t so close together as the space between them suddenly felt like far too little. Maybe it was just because he was embarrassed but it felt much too warm as well.

One of Xehanort’s hands pops into his line of sight, waving slightly in a dismissive manner. “I know, I know. I was only teasing.” He snickered as he finally looked at Eraqus again, that smile still on his face. The one that made Eraqus’s heart stutter. “You get some rest. I won’t take my eyes off you, I promise.”

Eraqus swallows a lump in his throat and he tries to calm his heart and mind enough to try speaking again. He can’t keep looking at Xehanort, eyes darting away to try and help in his efforts. Thankfully it seemed Xehanort was going to let him be and not question why the younger of the two was no longer able to hold his gaze. It was a prime opportunity to, considering how Eraqus had only just a moment earlier requested the other boy to open his eyes for him. If he was being honest, he would have teased Xehanort about it if the roles were reversed. With a soft sigh, he finally looks to his friend again.

“Thank you, Xeha.” His voice is barely a whisper in the darkened room, grey-blue eyes locked with silver. A smile spreads across his face, warm and loving. “I can always count on you to be there for me.” Xehanort’s eyes tear away from Eraqus’s for only a moment as a gentle laugh pushes past his lips, smile still present. Wait, did Eraqus just embarrass him by saying that?

“You can, just like I can always count on you to be there for me.” Xehanort’s reply is soft, bringing a small chuckle from the black haired boy. It wasn’t often he saw his partner like this.

The two eventually fall asleep, safe and warm, their fingers laced together.


End file.
